Epilogue

She couldn’t watch. She’d waited all this time to see the opening game, on home turf, and now she couldn’t watch.

Isla’s stomach tipped uneasily, and she felt Liam’s presence even before his arms wrapped around her from behind. She had her hands over her eyes and was listening to the announcers.

“Babe, it’s pretty hard to watch the game that way,” he said, nudging her ear with his nose. Shivers racked her body. Would the impact of him ever lessen? Unlikely.

She was watching from the conference room, the sound filling the space. Everyone else—Addie, Cruz’s family, Cordelia, Jennifer, and Josiah—were up in the owner’s box.

Turning in his arms, she looped hers around his neck. “It’s too stressful,” she admitted.

Liam laughed, kissed her forehead. “You are the cutest woman on earth.”

“I’m glad you think so,” she said.

The seats were almost full, which she knew was normal. Maintaining attendance throughout the entire season, however, was where she focused her time.

Things had settled down, sort of. She was done giving press conferences. That had been the first thing she’d signed over to Liam when they’d worked up the deal. It still felt weird to have a contract written up with her boyfriend. He was the face and voice of the Nashville Slammers. He worked closely with Mickey and the new manager, gave his input to the scouts, sometimes accompanying them when they travelled to meet a player.

And at night, they went home together and shared their day. Her father was still suing her, but Josiah had told her not to worry. She’d taken his advice and put her focus into learning everything she could about the game she’d come to love.

“You did well, Red,” Liam said, interrupting her thoughts.

“We did well,” Isla corrected. They were truly a partnership, and though sometimes she worried that it was too good to last, she tried to push those thoughts aside.

“I was thinking, you’ve probably never bet on a game,” Liam said, turning her around so they could watch. They should probably go up to the owner’s box and join everyone.

“I’ve never bet on anything,” she said, thinking about that. Risk-taking wasn’t generally in her nature. Or it hadn’t been, until Liam. Until the Slammers.

His chin rested on her shoulder, their hands entwined at her stomach. The smell of his cologne was equal parts stirring and comforting. “I think we should make a bet.”

“Okay. Five bucks we win?”

Liam chuckled, and his breath felt soft and warm on her skin. “That’s a coward’s bet. I was thinking something bigger.”

She watched Corey slide into first, and her heart hammered wildly. “What’d you have in mind?”

Her mind was on the game. Mostly. It was hard to give her full attention to anything with his body pressed up against her own.

“How about if the Slammers win today, I ask you to marry me?” Liam said casually. Like he’d just suggested takeout for dinner.

Isla’s heart lodged between her ribs and, game forgotten, she turned and stared up at him. He was serious. Oh. My. God.

“What if they don’t?” she whispered, her throat tight.

Liam brought his hands to her shoulders, ran them up her neck, his thumbs tracing over her skin before he drove his fingers into her hair. “Then you ask me to marry you.”

She bit her lip, her pulse going haywire. “So, either way, you want to marry me.”

“I do. Do you want to marry me?” His gaze was so heated and hopeful at the same time.

She curled her fingers in his shirt. “I really do.”

Grinning, he came closer, his breath feathering over her lips. “Look at us, already saying the words.”

Her laughter was cut off when he kissed her, picking her up and twirling her around, his mouth moving over hers in a kiss that made her dizzier than his spinning. He set her down on the table and moved between her legs.

“I love you, Isla. I want you forever. I didn’t bring the ring.”

Pressing her lips together, she took a few breaths through her nose, trying to ward off tears. “I love you back. So much. I can’t believe you bought a ring.”

Brushing her hair away from her face, his gaze never left hers. “You walked into the bar, and my life changed. I knew, the moment I saw you, everything would be different.”

In a short period of time, her whole world had tilted. Righted itself. “Coming here was the best choice I ever made. I found you, a family, and myself.”

“Wanna go sit in the owner’s box with everyone?”

She nodded, happiness making her feel like she could burst. “I might be too nervous to watch. Especially now.”

Laughing, he threw his arm around her shoulder and led her out of the room. “Don’t worry. Win or lose…we win.”

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